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ROTC Claims Ranger Challenge Championship

Contact: Mike GreifeWARRENSBURG, MO (Oct. 29, 2012) – A team of 14 cadets from the University of Central Missouri U.S. Army ROTC program claimed the championship title of the Midwest Ranger Challenge Competition Oct. 19-21 at Ft. Leonard Wood.

Each year more than 300 universities nationwide field teams to compete in the regional competitions. UCM cadets competed against 16 teams from nine schools across the Midwest within the 3rd Brigade Army ROTC. In addition to UCM, schools participating in the 3rd Brigade competition were Missouri University of Science and Technology, University of Missouri Columba, Missouri State University, Lincoln University, Wentworth Military Academy, Truman State University, Washington University and Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

UCM claimed first place in day/night land navigation and weapon assemble/disassemble; second place in Army physical fitness; third place in M16 rife shooting, obstacle course and medevac lane; fourth place in the hand grenade course and the 10K force march, and fifth place in rope bridge lane.

Training for the event includes rigorous physical fitness workouts, classes on various elements of light infantry tactics, and a weekend field training exercise where rifle marksmanship, rope bridge and land navigation skills, and a 10-kilometer road march are part of the training.

“This is the first time UCM has won a regional Ranger Challenge competition,” said Lt. Col. Dan Cureton, chair of the UCM Department of Military Science and Leadership. “Our school was one of the smallest participating, but we beat some of the largest ROTC programs in the area. UCM’s Ranger Challenge team trained hard and was rewarded with the regional championship.”